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The VR industry saw major growth in 2019. Here are the top 50 VR game titles across all platforms.

No discussion of VR in 2019 can begin without mention of Oculus Quest.

The headset has quickly become a sort of gold standard toward mainstream VR adoption—powerful enough to run quality 6DoF experiences and convenient enough (both tangibly and at its price point) that far more people feel comfortable jumping into the immersive fray. Data seems to indicate that the headset sold approximately 400,000 headsets in the first five months following release.

Meanwhile, the launch of Valve Index, HP Reverb, Oculus Rift S, and VIVE Cosmos brought new bursts of energy to high-end tethered experiences, and PlayStation VR continues to hold a powerful market share of the VR gaming community—with 4.2M units sold by March 2019, with projections indicating a likely eclipse of the 5M mark as we enter 2020.

With newer users coming to VR through Quest, 2019 has also been an important year for the industry to catch newcomers up, with classics like SUPERHOT, Job Simulator, and Virtual Virtual Reality from the past few years ported to the new standalone system. Meanwhile, a number of games turned to franchises in 2019, with sequels popping up for Budget Cuts, Dead & Buried and Cloudlands. Beat Saber may remain the most visible title across platforms in the industry, but 2019 is an indication that the VR games landscape of 2020 will be too diverse for one mega-hit.

Note: this list only includes games which saw their first official release in 2019, or in the final weeks of 2018 (research for last year’s list cut off in mid-December)—so anything that is early access, beta, or a platform addition/expansion were not included (hence, no Until You Fall, Arizona Sunshine: The Damned DLC, Red Matter Quest port, or Beast Pets). On the other hand, games that saw an official release in 2019 after being in early access in prior years were open to consideration.

2019 VR Game of the Year (Tie)

Last year, selecting the game of the year was pretty straightforward; Beat Saber was already the stuff of legends in the VR community. But underneath that long shadow, a host of other games have risen up and progressed the language of VR gameplay.

Fellow rhythm games like Pistol Whip, AUDICA, and Drums of War offered new compelling takes on kinesthetic immersion. Falcon Age managed not only to orient players to falconry, but to reframe attention to a relationship with a virtual companion and the subtlety of interaction. Acron offered up a new gold standard for the cross-platform VR party game, while Half + Half brought startling intimacy and groundbreaking design to multiplayer experiences. The relative success of Dr. Who and Westworld indicated that Hollywood might be starting to get the hang of migrating legacy IP to immersive (or maybe better put: handing over the reins to the right game devs).

Depending on subjective taste and rubric, I’d say there are solidly 10 games that could be successfully argued as 2019’s “game of the year.” So I decided to set my standard as the projected longevity of a given game’s innovation. In other words, which game most successfully introduced a novel take on the genre that has the potential to impact the future of VR games.

Ultimately, I settled on two: Asgard’s Wrath and The Under Presents.

Asgard’s Wrath

Asgard’s Wrath is the first fully realized first-person RPG epic in VR. No, it’s not the first VR RPG, but none before have so expertly managed the heft of the long runtime the way Asgard’s Wrath does. It stepped into the shoes many hoped Skyrim VR would occupy—and did so in a way that reflected the unique capabilities of VR. VR has come to be regarded as a medium for short-form experiences; even successful games that clock two hours of playtime are seen as “full.” And while there’s nothing wrong with that, Asgard’s Wrath shows how VR could also be a medium for meaty, “prestige TV” levels of game and narrative.

The Under Presents

Many will argue that The Under Presents isn’t a proper “game”—and in many ways I’d agree with the arguments. From a traditional viewpoint on what constitutes a video game, The Under is...idiosyncratic. And yet, when you distill the notion of “game” down to its core—don’t worry, not going to get into a heady essentialist argument here—The Under tunnels into the very nature of VR as a medium and returns from the excavation with revelations unseen elsewhere in the industry. From its wordless onboarding to its locomotion and interaction mechanics to its graceful inclusion of live theatre actors, The Under—in its unassuming and decidedly weird way—is a landmark moment for VR games.

Abode 2

“If you’re in the market for an enjoyable, highly interactive escape the room game I would recommend Abode 2. Object interaction is very high here and it leads to many unusual and interesting moments of gameplay. This is all wrapped up in a unique aesthetic and spending time just existing in this futuristic apartment was a treat.”

Acron: Attack of the Squirrels

“Acron is a must-have for anyone looking to entertain groups of people without headsets of their own. Anyone with a smartphone is able to participate in the fun without paying a dime, opening up a near-infinite player pool of both gamers and nongamers alike. This is especially true for those using an Oculus Quest, as they’re able to bring the entire VR experience with them much more easily compared to bulky PC VR headsets.”

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs

“One of the main reasons Angry Birds was so popular was because of its addictive nature. The way levels reset so quickly that if a mistake is made you can jump straight back in within the blink of an eye, and it’s no different here. Every level can be reset with the press of a single button and it loads almost instantly, keeping you occupied and not giving you any downtime plays to its addictive nature perfectly. You’ll hear yourself saying “just one more level,” and many stages later you’ll have finished the entire game.”

AUDICA

“Audica is an absolute blast to practice and improve at. It can get really difficult on the harder difficulties, but it never feels unfair or impossible. Just like Rockband, remembering when that one little part is coming that always messes you up is just so satisfying. I'm a fan of shooting lasers, and Audica offers the most satisfying laser-shooting of all time.”

Blood & Truth

“Make no mistake, though: Blood & Truth is built to plunge you into a variety of made-for-Hollywood action moments. There's the inevitable flashback to a desert shootout from Richard's time in the service. A high speed car chase. And of course, a construction site shootout that starts with you parachuting in from high above the city.”

BOGO

Boneworks

“I say all of this because SL0 has clearly created an incredible engine for a captivating VR adventure. The years the developers spent honing their chops in other software have paid off in melee insanity, firearms mastery, and climb-and-shove puzzle highlights. I will likely remember Boneworks' best moments as must-play VR experiences for a long time, and...I would already call Boneworks one of the best VR gun-adventure games on the market...”

Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency

“Budget Cuts 2 takes the series in a slightly different direction, as it puts more emphasis on straight-forward storytelling and conventional action. That said, it still offers up a nice slice of adrenaline-soaked fun, as you plan your way around instant death...”

Cloudlands 2

“Cloudlands 2 is a fun, casual golf game that has options for playing both regular and mini-golf. It includes both single and multiplayer modes, a campaign mode, as well as a course editor that can create surprisingly complex holes, which can be shared online.”

Concrete Genie

“Concrete Genie is messy, much like the adolescent story it tells.... But ultimately, it has just enough charm and warmth to make it worth the brief journey. They might not look like the genies you’re expecting, but that’s part of what makes them so memorable.”

The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets

“This is one of the very best ways to introduce any child to the world of VR, and it's just long enough to provide worthwhile educational entertainment without sucking them indefinitely in with undue amounts of content.”

Dance Central

“The new Dance Central plays much like its Xbox predecessors: Players dance to choreography in time to popular dance hits. But Harmonix is designing Dance Central’s VR dance routines with virtual reality headsets in mind. The VR game tracks your head and hands — it’s not the full-body tracking of Kinect — and limits the number of moves that require dramatic head movements. Scores are based on how accurate your dancing is, based on hand position and gestures, movement velocity, and head height — the game knows whether you’re matching your on-screen dance partner’s dips.”

Dead & Buried II

“The great thing about playing a shooter like this is that you’re almost always holding your hands out in front of you while playing. Every now and then you’ll need to reach out to either side, but it’s pretty rare.”

Death Horizon: Reloaded

“The Oculus Quest gives players a unique sense of freedom from going wireless, and that freedom has apparently infected the Death Horizon series. The original Death Horizon was an on-rails shooter, but Death Horizon: Reloaded on Quest has mutated into a free-form FPS that incorporates creative climbing and jumping segments.”

Dr. Who: The Edge of Time

“...the graphics are really quite impressive, in both their variety and level of detail. Peeking into the TARDIS while you’re still outside looks amazing in a way it could never be on the show and both the sci-fi and historical settings are nicely detailed and, again, more convincing than most things that can be done on a BBC TV budget.”

Drums of War

“Drums of War is a VR rhythm game where players take command of a giant orc and hit the drums to the beat of the music to rampage across the land slaughtering whatever crosses the orc’s path but go out of rhythm and the orc will veer off to one side.”

Espire 1: VR Operative

“One of the things I appreciated most about Espire 1 was that even with the linear level structure, there seemed to be a huge amount of freedom to how you could approach each situation. Climbing was normally my go to choice for avoiding or ambushing enemies and you can clamber over a satisfying amount of scenery.”

Everybody's Golf VR

“The short version here is that Everybody’s Golf VR [is] the best golf game you can get for the VR platform. If you have a PSVR and you like golf, you probably won’t be disappointed. I say probably because I did run up against a wall when I first started playing the game. I play golf (poorly) in real life and my first hour with Everybody’s Golf VR did not go as well as I’d hoped it would.”

Falcon Age

“Falcon Age’s frequently squawky sidekick is so handy it almost feels like a co-op game. You and your feathered friend explore a sparse but artistically striking desert landscape and take down refinery outposts of a colonizing power. With writing by 80 Days’ Meg Jayanth, Cassandra Khaw, and Chandana Ekanayake, Falcon Age explores a fascinating tale of reigniting a resistance that’s largely given up the fight. Rather than going big or grand with its events, the most intriguing moments come from small character interactions.”

Final Assault

“At the end of the day, can you play Final Assault for over 100 hours and still have a great time? Absolutely. Underneath the hood are a set of bulletproof RTS mechanics that fit perfectly in VR, and I hope that Final Assault continues to receive both community and developer support for the foreseeable future.”

A Fisherman’s Tale

“Right from the start A Fisherman’s Tale comes across as a classic children’s story, involving a lighthouse keeper and a seafaring tragedy. But then it turns all weird and magical once you come to realise that you, in fact, play a wooden puppet inside a model lighthouse. Even stranger still is the moment you get to interact with said model, finding that it is actually one of many, continually repeated indefinitely.”

Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted

“In short, Five Nights at Freddy's VR: Help Wanted is the real deal. It's a genuine celebration of everything that has come before and a fresh lens for long-time fans. Even if you've never touched a Five Nights game before in your life, you'll have a lot to latch onto. I'm as surprised as anyone!”

Fujii

“Fujii doesn't fit squarely into an existing genre, but does a good job of making you feel like you're exploring and discovering a world you've never seen before but are glad to be able to visit. Thoughtful design is apparent throughout from art direction, visual & sound effects, locomotion, and interaction; Fujii's organic and reactive world is ripe with satisfying 'game feel' that shines brightly thanks to VR's ability to let you reach out and touch what's around you.”

Gadgeteer

“These 60 puzzles snake around the apartment, intertwining with the furniture to look like one giant experiment. The difficulty curve isn’t so great that you’ll be stuck right away but even by the halfway stages Gadgeteer challenges you to really think about how each piece contributes to the entire setup and the various routes that can be taken. Puzzles evolve from knocking each one over – dominos-style – to transporting marbles all over the place.”

Ghost Giant

“...in Ghost Giant I was enthralled by the life and personality of not only the characters and animation, but the locations too. The level of detail is incredible, the model villages that make up the levels of Ghost Giant are stunning in VR. No matter where you look, there's always something cool to find.”

Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son

“There’s a tremendous amount of dialogue and, when it’s not serviceable, it’s outright excellent...none of the performances here feel phoned-in. It’s also interesting that the main character you take on has a lot of dialogue and ruminative self-narration, a strange detail for first-person VR games, which are usually satisfied with delivering countless silent protagonists.”

Half + Half

“Half + Half is the culmination of four years of multiplayer research at Normal,’ the company stated in a blog post. ‘We’ve created warm, rich, and organic spaces for you to hang out with people. We’ve spent countless hours tweaking our blobby avatars to communicate well through body language and to feel approachable in VR.’

The title is designed to make each player look ‘as ridiculous as possible’ in real life. The developer holds that this is to facilitate social interaction in VR while enriching time that would otherwise be spent in front of a smartphone or computer monitor.”

Invite Only VR: A Vaping Prevention Game

“Researchers developed a virtual reality game on vaping prevention and are looking at how effective it may be in reducing the rising rates of e-cigarette use by teens. Data from the Connecticut School Health Survey showed that nearly 15% of students have tried vaping, up from 2.4% in 2011. Nationally, about 1 in 4 high school students used an e-cigarette product this year, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.... The game was released at a time when local and national legislators and public health officials are looking for ways to more strictly regulate e-cigarette products in order to prevent teen use and limit health risks for illnesses like vaping-related lung injury.”

Journey For Elysium

“Inspired by mythology, Journey for Elysium sends players down into the Greek underworld. There, they explore environments, solve puzzles, and face challenges as they try to reach Elysium, the place reserved for gods, heroes, and righteous mortals.... The black-and-white art style certainly catches the eye. This style takes inspiration from French artist Gustave Doré, who made wood engravings to illustrate myths and fairy tales. The color palette sets the mood for a grave and perilous journey while also helping the game highlight important items and areas by adding a splash of eye-catching gold.”

Last Labyrinth（ラストラビリンス）

“Last Labyrinth is creepy. Like, super creepy. Fans of Japanese horror will no doubt feel right at home skulking throughout the terrifying halls of the decrepit mansion alongside their younger companion.”

No Man’s Sky VR

“Seeing the world of No Man’s Sky in VR is certainly a treat, and it makes the size and vastness of the game feel much more immediate and real than it does when I’m looking at a standard screen. My ship is a place I can hang out now, and each planet is a new environment I can explore, complete with some very large creatures that are much more frightening when I have to lean back and look up to take the whole sight of them in.”

Pagan Peak VR

“This is a unique VR escape room thriller that will take you to the darkest corners of virtual reality. You will be taking on the role of a criminal profiler to solve the riddles that has been laid out by the killer. You will have to dive deeper and deeper into the mystery that surrounds this Pagan killer.... You will use your intuition, gather the pieces of the puzzle and keep looking over your shoulder.”

Penn & Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary, & Underhanded

“Penn & Teller VR is a mixed bag of pranks, gags, and magic tricks, and in each one, you are an active participant; being able to pick things, push buttons, and even help saw Teller in half. Your interaction depends on which bit you are trying. The game is designed so that people watching can play a role in the prank, or you're laughing at the person in VR. So it's not a single user experience.”

Pistol Whip

It feels very, very John Wick in action, and the level design, enemy patterns, and aesthetic intensity add up to double that Wick-ian feeling. I'd love to see a plot added to this game to match, since we're dealing with an arcade game whose foes are all anthropomorphized guys in suits. Can't we get some hard-boiled narration befitting the tone, at least?

Pistol Whip could be great. Until then, it's mighty good and arguably the year's best new VR action game. After all, 2019 has mostly been the year where people finally bought headsets and discovered 2018's killer games. For the VR faithful starving for something fresh, this is it.

Shadow Point

“Shadow Point is a suitably well-accomplished puzzle experience.... [T]here’s enough here to provide a good few hours of entertainment without breaking a sweat or running the risk of hitting a wall accidentally.”

Space Junkies

“Space Junkies...hits it out of the park in many aspects, including visuals, gun play, immersive environments, and comfort. There's an elephant in the room though: it's a pretty standard arena shooter experience that relies solely on multiplayer, which is still a very delicate thing in VR.

Spider-Man: Far From Home VR

“Combat aside, the real magic of Spider-Man: Far From Home Virtual Reality is in the web-slinging.... [C]asually flying above the streets of Manhattan as Spider-Man feels absolutely surreal, and the web-slinging mechanics, while simple, are extremely satisfying; especially for a free title.”

Stardust Odyssey

“The project takes place in a fantasy world where flying caravans venture through terrain. As a smuggler, players have to steal the cargo and find relics among the voyagers. To do this, they travel aboard a magic-powered ethercraft. Players pilot the smooth- and slow-moving vehicle down linear, tunnel-like levels. Along the way, they steal items from the ships and search for treasures such as ether cages that hold resources that upgrade the player's ship.”

Stormland

“The appeal of Stormland, beyond its visually stunning world, is analogous to a jungle gym: once you’ve run through its brief obstacle course, it’s up to you to make your own acrobatic fun. Jumping, gliding, or otherwise launching yourself off of Stormland’s highest peaks with your own two hands is an absolute treat in VR, and one that’s worth going through the motions of the middling combat, repetitive missions, and light story for.”

Swords of Gargantua

“Swords of Gargantua requires some space to play as well. You’ll be pitted in an arena and while you can move using the thumbstick – thankfully it darkens the edges of your vision to help stave off motion sickness – you really do want some room to maneuver. Each round you’ll start with a trusty sword at your side, but throughout each arena, there are other weapons and shields you can pick up along the way as well. I found myself really taking to the mace early on thanks to its long reach and power. I also really love the accuracy of the rapier – in fact, there are about 30 different weapons you can unlock along the way, each one giving a different feel and play style allowing you to really hone in on your own ideal experience.”

Synth Riders

“Synth Riders is a full-body workout, and it’s heavy on the upper body workout. You’ll need to take a moment to clear some space within arm’s length and make sure you can step side to side. It also moves rapidly, like you’re sliding…. Synth Riders wants you to move, groove, and dance through an intense aerobic workout.”

Tokyo Chronos

“Each character also has their own vibrant design, expectantly matched by their personalities.... Tokyo Chronos is at its best when it steps outside of its conventions. It’s in the moments it plays with proximity and body displacement.”

Trover Saves the Universe

“Squanch Games wanted to give gamers something they'd never seen before with Trover Saves the Universe, and I think the company has largely succeeded. The game isn't as polished as it could be — but frankly, I'm not sure a high level of polish is even consistent with how the game is supposed to feel. It's not a fancy dinner; it's not even a lunch special at a pub. Trover Saves the Universe is what happens when you microwave a bunch of questionable leftovers on the same plate and find that, amazingly, the end result is not only edible, but pretty darn tasty.”

Vacation Simulator

“Once again, Owlchemy Labs has turned what would normally be considered a series of mundane activities into an engaging gaming experience that had me smiling ear-to-ear throughout. Much like Job Simulator, each activity can be accomplished in a series of ways, with each new objective exposing and connecting you to new characters and locations; this ensures that you experience everything each Destination has to offer.”

Vanishing Realms

“This was a battle with weight, with tactics, and honestly with a bit of fear. I seldom use the word, but it was a visceral experience. Perhaps this what a VR Dark Souls might feel like, or a real-life D&D game.”

Vader Immortal II & III

“Vader Immortal as a whole, but especially Episode III, is one of those Star Wars stories that gives you a whole new perspective on the galaxy. Think of the Mortis Gods in The Clone Wars or A World Between Worlds in Rebels—stories that take everything you thought you knew about Star Wars and spin it a little out of control. In Vader Immortal, through the findings of Darth Vader, we learn why the planet Mustafar is so significant and some of its specific, fascinating connections to the Force. The difference is, this time, you get to witness it first hand, thanks to the VR technology.

Westworld Awakening

“Westworld Awakening is a unique product. It’s the first full-fledged VR game set in the universe created by showrunners Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan. The duo took the idea from the 1973 Michael Crichton science fiction film and expanded it into an ambitious tale about AI, the nature of human consciousness, and the fractures that begin forming in a dystopian near-future that treats entertainment of the rich as paramount to human suffering”

Wolves in the Walls Ch. 2 & 3

“Wolves in the Wallsgoes beyond a VR story or experience. It’s deeper than that. You actually build a strong emotional bond with someone that makes you wonder what will happen to her beyond this story. Lucy offers you a sense of familiarity and trust.”

Jesse is a writer, curator, producer, entrepreneur, and public figure in emerging technology. He is Deputy Director of Emerging Technology at Southern New Hampshire

…

Jesse is a writer, curator, producer, entrepreneur, and public figure in emerging technology. He is Deputy Director of Emerging Technology at Southern New Hampshire University, Editor-at-Large of VRScout, Series Editor of Best American Experimental Writing, and CEO of Galatea, a screenwriting and project management tool for VR and AR stories. He covers XR, blockchain, AI, art, and media, with work in Adweek, Billboard, Entrepreneur, IndieWire, HuffPost, Quartz, The Verge, and Wired; and syndication in CBS News, CJR, The New Digital Storytelling textbook, and REDEF. He was listed as a top global VR influencer in 2017 by Onalytica, was interviewed as an expert source in the AP guide for immersive journalism, and runs "Immersive Writers & Storytellers" and “Blockchain XR." He has served as a mentor in the YouTube VR Creator Lab and worked with Google in their initiative to develop educational content for the VR/AR industry as Curriculum Writer/Editor and on-camera instructor on their "VR and 360 Video Production" and "Introduction to Augmented Reality and ARCore" courses. A regular speaker and host, he has appeared at conferences, shows, and events such as SXSW, Cheddar, and the School of the New York Times. He hosts TECH TOCK, a talk show in Microsoft’s SocialVR platform, AltspaceVR. He was the Curator/Producer for the XR art exhibition, SPATIAL REALITY, at sp[a]ce gallery; Co-Curator of VIRTUAL FUTURES with LACMA for LA Art Show; and Co-Curator of SIM-CINEMA with FLOAT and Wevr. He also curates The Tech Zone at DesignerCon and XR For Change, the XR summit at Games For Change.